I have seen “Skyline Casing” on an SP AC-9 and a UP 4-8-4. Does it have a practical purpose? Is it a form of Streamlining?
Streamlining - covering up all those lumps and bumps along the top of a steam engine.
Bob Boudreau
I wouldn’t call the Smoke Wings on UP 4-8-4s Skyline Casing. If you look at an SP AC9, an SP MT-7 4-8-2, and most SP GS class 4-8-4s, there’s a prime example of Skyline Casing. And no, it had no real purpose but to improve air resistance and make the loco look cooler.[8D]
Thanks for the replies, Guys.
No , i did not confuse the smoke deflectors on the 4-8-4 as Skyline Casing. If you click on http://www.brasstrains.com/r_up.htm and scroll approximately 1/4 way down the page, you will see an example of this on a model!
Oren, I don’t say anything on that page with Skyline Casing.
Holy Cow!! I never heard of a UP loco with Skyline Casing, I thought that was pretty much an Espee thing–if that model’s based on a prototype, let’s just pray that UP tried it once, saw how ugly it looked on an FEF and decided to remove it–PRONTO!! Looks like a strong case of “Daylight Envy” to me!
Tom[B)][:I][:P]
twhite,
What do you think of the AC-9’s looks?
I saw that model you’re talking about a few weeks ago. I can’t say it’s my favorite FEF version, but if its really based on a prototype, I’d LOVE to have it just because it’s so unique…
Oren–the AC-9 is a really handsome 2-8-8-4–I’m a big fan of Espee’s ‘Skyline’ casings on just about all of their locos, though it took some getting used to on their T&NO 4-6-2’s, when they hauled the “Sunbeams” between Houston and Dallas. But I think Espee fielded some of the best-looking steam there was (next to Rio Grande, of course) .
Tom [:D]
Sorry to open this up again, but I found this Pennsy K4 #1188.
Looks like they only did this once. Does anyone have any additional information?
Thanks,
Kurt
The PRR tried a number of things to lift smoke all of them experimental. this is one of the attempts. they also tried elephant ears and a smaller version of this shrouding back to the sand dome. Eventually Raymond Lowey streamlined a couple of K4s for the Jeffersonian to St. Louis and as I recall the South Wind but I may be in error on that one. The maintenance crews never liked the problems they caused and all attempts were removed or altered with time. The T1, Q1, Q2, S1, S2 and K4 show varying degrees of streamlining from new through their final days and all of them less every time they were photographed.
The term “Skyline casing” is purely Southern Pacific - and, yes, they had a purpose other than cool appearance. After they were applied (for appearance) to the GS 4-8-4s, it was noticed that they were effective smoke lifters (note the dustpan shape around the stack.) That led them to be applied to several classes of passenger power as well as the AC-9 Yellowstones.
Other railroads had closed-top shrouds, some cosmetic and some for smoke-lifting purposes. The N&W J is probably the most recognizable example.
The early JNR D51 class locomotives had a “slug” casing from the stack to the rear of the steam dome, primarily to conceal the lengthwise-mounted Elesco type feedwater heater between the stack and the sand box. Later locos of the same class mounted the feedwater heater crosswise in front of the stack and left the space between the stack and the combined steam-sand dome open. (The JNR applied “elephant ear” smoke lifters to everything except shop switchers.)
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
UP had a single FEF done with Skyline casing (819 I believe) as a experiment to reduce drifting smoke and soot when configured as coal burners, it was a utter failure in this regard, and soon they reverted to smoke deflectors and oil firing which proved the ultimate solution.
Dave